(1) What we did:Outside our son's school, there is a restriction in place meaning that we cannot enter the road the school is on, meaning parents have to park a bit further away on less restricted roads.
On the road we park on, there are plenty of parents that park with two wheels on the pavement and they did not receive a ticket this day, however we potentially effed up by parking on a speed bump.
An enforcement officer smelling a juicy commission comes along just after 3pm (after many parents are walking to the school to pick up children) and tickets us at 3:13pm.
(2) What we need:Firstly, do we have a leg to stand on if we appeal this (we have until 23rd of December)?
Secondly, will the following appeal in section (4) work?
Finally, what information will help us successful appeal and overturn the parking ticket?
(3) Street View Link & Related Images:https://maps.app.goo.gl/DMTjJCc6xkpDnrVy5 link to Street View
(4) Our Draft Appeal to evaluate:Dear Brent Council,
I am writing to formally challenge Penalty Charge Notice BT27413711, issued on 10/12/2025 for the alleged contravention Code 62 – Parked with one or more wheels on or over a footpath or any part of a road other than a carriageway.
I respectfully request that this PCN be cancelled for the following reasons:
1. No safe or reasonable parking was available due to school-zone restrictions -At the time of parking, there were vehicles positioned both in front of and behind my car, all of which were similarly mounted on the kerb. Those vehicles have since moved, but my vehicle was parked between them. I was running late to collect my 4-year-old child from school, and Old Kenton Lane is a designated school zone where parking availability is extremely limited during pick-up hours.
The surrounding roads are narrow, heavily congested at school times, and often unsafe to stop in without causing obstruction or risk to children and other pedestrians. This was a genuine time-sensitive situation involving the collection of a young child, and I stopped only for the minimum time necessary. Under the circumstances, there was no reasonable alternative place to park safely.
Larkspur Close is commonly used by parents for school pick-up as it is the closest practical point from which to safely collect young children and return to vehicles.
2. No obstruction was caused -While my vehicle was partially mounted on the kerb, it did not obstruct the footpath. There remained sufficient space for pedestrians to pass safely. I was careful to ensure that my passenger-side rear door was not positioned against the hedge, so that my child could safely access their car seat.
There was also more than enough space on the carriageway for other vehicles to pass. In the photographs provided (images 5 and 6), a large van can be seen passing my vehicle without difficulty. I additionally folded in my driver’s side wing mirror to maximise road clearance for passing traffic.
Given these considerations, neither pedestrian nor vehicular traffic was impeded.
3. Lack of clear signage or markings -It is common practice on this road—particularly during school pick-up times—for vehicles to partially mount the kerb due to the conditions on Old Kenton Lane. This practice is widely tolerated and not clearly prohibited by signage or road markings. In the absence of clear restrictions, and given that many vehicles regularly park in this manner without enforcement, I reasonably believed that this was permitted.
4. Inconsistent and unfair enforcement -I have attached images of vehicles that were parked directly in front of and behind my car, as well as a vehicle parked on the corner of Larkspur Close (including one on a double yellow line). None of these vehicles were issued a PCN, despite being parked in similar or more serious contravention. These cars belong to parents collecting children from the same school, who face the same emergency and unavoidable circumstances.
This inconsistency suggests unfair or selective enforcement.
Given the unavoidable circumstances, the lack of obstruction, the absence of clear signage, and the inconsistent enforcement, I respectfully request that this PCN be cancelled.
I will ensure I take extra care when parking in the future.
Yours faithfully,
(5) Final noteThank you so much in advance! Apologies if I have missed any information, I followed the "READ THIS FIRST" page but I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed. Happy for you to call me a tw** if it's well deserved in this circumstance!
